Chapter 47: An Unwilling Request

  Su Ying suddenly ignored Liu Yiniang's awkward expression and said in a particularly gentle tone, "It's hard for you to get up so early."

  Liu Yiniang's heart was racing, but she took a step forward and said to Liyue in a very respectful tone: "Madam, please don't worry about me, let me not have to come every day to set rules. But I'm not someone who doesn't know the boundaries, this is what I should do, I dare not be lazy."

  Lui Yue took the initiative to speak up, which was rare. Su Ying didn't feel surprised, but Liu Niang was shocked and could only agree: "It's nothing compared to your hardship, madam."

  If it were in the past, Fu Yiyang wouldn't have noticed the subtle jabs between the concubines, but somehow he caught what Lihua said and seemed to be deep in thought. To Liu Niangniang, it was as if Fu Yiyang had suddenly paid more attention to Lihua, who usually kept a low profile. She secretly resented this, but her expression remained calm as she stood behind Fu Yiyang, serving dishes and pouring soup, not even daring to interrupt.

  Unfortunately, the coquettish glance was wasted on a blind man, and Fu Yeyang didn't notice at all. Su Ying's eyelids didn't even flutter as she allowed Liu Niang and Li Yue to engage in a covert battle on her turf, still nibbling on a piece of water chestnut cake with a hint of dissatisfaction, suddenly feeling that today's water chestnut cake wasn't sweet enough, after eating two mouthfuls, she put down her chopsticks. Fu Yeyang glanced at her and asked: "Don't you like to eat?"

  Then she naturally took a bite of the water chestnut cake that Su Ying had bitten and said: "It's pretty good."

  Su Ying was stunned by his sudden movement, her face slightly red, and she glared at him: "No, I just don't have much of an appetite."

  Fu Yiyang furrowed his brow, his tone carrying a slightly subtle concern: "The warehouse has just received some top-grade blood swiftlets. I heard that eating those is better than ginseng. Tell them to send some over later and we'll make congee with it."

  During this time, Fu Yiyang took out many good things from his own warehouse and gave them to Su Ying. This was rarely seen in the past, when Wei Niang would intentionally or unintentionally show off what good things Fu Yiyang had given her. Now that the wind and water have turned, Zhengyuan can be said to have finally risen to prominence. Just now, people like Bo He were still sulking, but now they are delighted again.

  Su Ying smiled and nodded, saying it was okay. Fu Yeyang finished the porridge in a few mouthfuls and said: "Mother is ill and still worries about the second room, eldest sister, you'd better go take a look and also discipline those people at the bottom."

  Su Ying thought maliciously: Does he think that the slaves who live in the house are stepping on their toes and flattering them? Is this a word of experience? On the surface, she definitely wouldn't show it, smiling and nodding: "The old lady is ill, I naturally want to go and serve her. It's just right to take a look at Big Miss too. The slaves in Big Miss's room are all used to it, they dare not be careless when serving, so Big Miss hasn't been ill for several days. This is a good thing. Maybe with good care, her body won't be so weak again."

  Su Ying didn't directly say that Wei Yiniang was not careful with Dagu's body before, but the reality is there. How did Dagu just move out for a short time and her body got better day by day? As soon as this thought came up, the problem emerged. It must be that Wei Yiniang has a problem, and Fu Yeyang naturally thinks so too, and his impression of Wei Yiniang is even worse.

  Su Ying had clashed with Wei Niang several times, and although Wei Niang was losing ground and her impression on Fu Ye Yang was getting worse, she still had the trump card of being his first love. Moreover, she had a head start in Fu Ye Yang's heart, after all, she was his first woman, and their time together was something Su Ying couldn't compare to.

  But all this cannot withstand Wei Yiniang's self-inflicted demise. The eldest daughter was sent to Fu Mu by her own initiative, and she repeatedly showed disgust towards Fu Yiyang, causing the perfect Fu Dalao's good impression of her to drop rapidly. Once he looked at her with disfavor, everything about her became unfavorable. It can be said that she brought this upon herself.

  Fu Yiyang put down his bowl and chopsticks, nodded slightly to Liu Niang and Li Yue: "You two have worked hard too, disperse."

  Su Ying also chimed in, saying: "Actually, there's no need to rush, these days have been busy for everyone, and you've all been working hard too." So many things couldn't stop their little thoughts, especially Liu Niang, Fu Ye Yang wouldn't mention hardship to her for no reason. And Li Yue, pretending to be an honest person for a while is easy, but pretending like that for so long is really not easy.

  Fu Yiyang didn't let Su Ying send him to the front hall, when they reached the main gate, he pinched Su Ying's hand: "You're working the hardest, if there's anything that can be handled by others, just let them do it, I'll have the steward take care of it outside, so you don't have to work so hard."

  A man's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the ocean. Su Ying couldn't understand what Fu Ye was thinking, and when she saw him make that warm and gentle gesture again, it didn't look right no matter how she looked at it. But no matter what she thought in her heart, she couldn't show it on her face. The other hand that wasn't held patted his hand, her eyes were red, and she almost cried, but she still smiled, moved by his considerate words: "That's just my duty as your... Hou Fu's mistress, where can I say whether it's hard or not? As long as you have this sentence, I feel willing to do anything."

  This isn't something she would say, absolutely not! Should I be grateful that I didn't eat much for breakfast and won't throw up from being disgusted with myself? Otherwise, she could still say "You actually know that your legitimate wife works hard, you scumbag!" If it were really like this, then the main mistress of the Hou estate would truly be possessed by a demon!

  Something even more disgusting is yet to come. Fu Yiyang had just walked away with a satisfied expression, and Su Ying was still watching his back disappear from view, when the door of the South Wing creaked open and Wei Niang came out. She seemed not to have expected to run into Su Ying, and after a brief moment of hesitation, she bowed her head slightly and bent at the waist, with her knees slightly bent: "Greetings, milady."

  Su Ying's tone was still relatively gentle: "Why not stay in the house and rest? How did you take care of your aunt? Hurry up and support her." The maid who followed behind Wei Yiniang looked puzzled, then remembered that Fu Ye had dealt with her original senior maid, Mulan, yesterday, so she said: "The number of people serving you is not enough, I'll add more for you later."

  Wei Yiniang's eyes sparkled, but she didn't dare to raise her head and look directly at Su Ying. She was completely subdued, all the arrogance of her usual self gone.

  Su Ying glanced at the dark red satin dress with green flowers that she was wearing, then looked at her forehead where there was no bandage, but instead deliberately covered it with her hair. Her eyes narrowed and her tone became even more gentle: "But are you worried about Big Sister? It just so happens that I'm going to go upstairs to pay my respects to Old Lady later, why don't you come along with me to take a look at Big Sister?"

  Wei Yiniang clutched the yellow handkerchief in her hand, suddenly stiffening, her face somewhat unnatural. It was only when the maid behind her pushed her that she came to herself and again curtsied to Su Ying: "Thank you, madam."

  "It's nothing, after all you are the biological aunt of the eldest girl. If you really have this heart, it would be better to serve the old master and the eldest girl with all your heart in the future." Su Ying said this and turned around with a cold face, full of the demeanor of a legitimate wife.

  Wei Yiniang gazed straight at Su Ying's back, and finally let out a sigh. The maid Xiangqin in front of her looked at her strangely, and she moved her lips: "Tell me about Big Sister."

  Fu's mother recovered from her illness today and no longer lingered in bed, but she still remained indifferent to Su Ying, especially after Su Ying reported on the intention of Wei Niangniang, Fu's mother coldly said: "You are indeed virtuous."

  Su Hui's gentle smile: "Isn't the old lady always teaching her daughter-in-law to be virtuous and generous, warning against jealousy and petty-mindedness? The daughter-in-law should always remember the old lady's teachings." Turning around to say to Wei Niang: "You go take a look at Big Sister first."

  Wei Yiniang retreated very respectfully, so respectfully that even Fu Mu found it unbelievable. Previously, Wei Yiniang was a thorn in the side, and she had enjoyed watching Wei Yiniang cause trouble in the main house. Now it seemed that Su Shi was truly skilled, having even gotten the better of Wei Yiniang.

  Before Fu Mu could speak, Su Ying softly said: "Why don't I see your younger brother and sister? Last night, I heard people downstairs say that the second house had a flood, are your younger brother and sister okay?"

  Fu Mu heard this and felt a headache, she coldly said: "It's just that the people below were not careful, the candle fell and water spilled, and Rui'er's concubine didn't escape and suffered a disaster. Our mansion doesn't lack this little bit of silver for repairs."

  Su Ying twitched the corner of her mouth, this was indeed a case of "no silver in the house", it seemed that the maid who had been sent to serve as a concubine was indeed Hu Po! It seemed that not only Madame Chen was strict and efficient, but also Madam Fu was decisive and ruthless, cutting through the chaos with a sharp knife, even the reason was ready-made, what a good reason an accidental death was, leaving no room for others to suspect. Su Ying let out a sigh of relief: "The old lady is right."

  Fu's mother was displeased to see Su Ying lingering around her, and impatiently drove her out. Su Ying happily walked away, heading towards the eldest daughter's room.

  "Give Mo Li twenty taels of silver to give to her parents, in consideration of her serving Wei Niang for a time. Then select two clever maids and send them to Wei Niang to make up the number." Su Ying instructed Lu Hui calmly, "Later you go take a look at the second house, let the second madam make a decision, the house can't just stay broken like that."

  In the room, the big girl leaned timidly into Wei's mother's arms. Wei's mother, unlike her previous crying and tearful appearance, smiled and hugged the big girl, coaxing her to watch the few goldfish swimming back and forth in the fish tank. Without the original petty family air, matching her slender figure, there was a kind of quiet beauty, as the saying goes, radiating maternal glory.

  Su Ying raised an eyebrow and walked in, whereupon Wei Niang put down the elder girl. The elder girl, under the guidance of her wet nurse, called Su Ying "mother". She bit her lower lip, gazing at the frail elder girl who looked like a kitten, and her eyes filled with even more pity. Taking a step forward, she spoke to Su Ying in a neither servile nor arrogant tone: "Milady, I have an impertinent request."

  ps：

  The second update is here!